Interview with a Riddler
by nepetaneko
Summary: Edward Nigma craved for only one thing: attention, letting the world know how little they were compared to him. So, when a young reporter decides that he isn't interesting enough for a reportage, the only logic solution is to kidnap her... right? Riddler/OC


**Disclaimer:** I do not own Batman, or any of its characters. They belong to Bob Kane and DC Comics, as well as Warner.

**Interview with a Riddle**

**I: Arkham**

Arkham Asylum was just exactly as everyone had told Molly about: creepy and hopeless, just as much as its inmates.

There was something just downright unsettling that keeps Molly looking around, just to see if some of the inmates was holding a gun, pointing towards her head and ready to blow her brains out and paint the walls in red.

Well, now that she have been thinking about it, a little of color wouldn't harm anybody. Still, she didn't want to use blood (or any body fluid to be exactly) as paint. Though people as the Joker would be smiling and laughing to see that.

It had appeared that she was so drowned in her own thoughts, that she didn't pay any attention to her partner (and somewhat of a boss) had been telling her.

"Molly, did you heard what I just tell you?" he asked annoyed. She almost hit with a wall by the surprise.

"Uh… yes" she answered, in hope that he would believe her. Sadly, her partner didn't do it.

"Then what did I just said?"

"Ah… uh…" she blabbered. He sighed, both in annoyance and anger as he stopped, facing her by looking right into her eyes.

"Look, Molly, I only hired you for this work because I wanted to give you a chance. If we do this right, we booth will be superstars. But, if you blow this up, I'll make sure you'll be fired. Okay?" he asked.

"I… uh…" she still blabbered, looking into the ground.

"I said: okay?" he asked once more, angrier (if that was even possible) at her. She nodded.

"Yes" she mumbled, submissive.

"Great, Molly, you know how to answer to a question without blabbering like a baby. Perhaps, you could be a decent reporter someday" he said, almost happily.

"You really think that?" she asked brightly, like a child.

"Sadly, I don't believe in miracles" he chuckled, walking away from her.

She bit her lip, as she followed him down the hallway to the reception. Hell, she wasn't technically in Arkham yet and she was already a walking mess, though it wasn't Arkham's fault, at least not everything.

Most of people would have dropped this job immediately, not only because it was the home of Gotham's most wanted (and dangerous), but because Bradley Owens was the 'boss' (as well as a jerk).

Bradley Owens wasn't famous because of his reports (a lot of people could agree that the have the professional skills of an ape), neither because he was handsome (sadly, he was), it was because of his narcissistic, mean and quick-tempered attitude, an attitude that could remind of a high-school bully. The only difference was that he dismissed people he though as not worthy of his time, not because of his social class.

With this kind of partner, plus having to interview a Gotham rogue (Molly hoped it wouldn't be the Joker or Scarecrow. Those give her the Goosebumps) was of the reasons why most people would have backed off. Then, why she did take the job? Simple: it was her only chance for being a true reporter, not the girl with the donuts.

When they to the reception, her partner slightly tap the glass to get the attention of the old woman. He smiled charmingly as he leaned against the glass, making the woman blush.

"Excuse me, miss, my name's Bradley Owens and this is my partner, Molly. We came to talk with miss Joan Leland" he ran a hand through his golden hair, making the woman giggle.

"Oh, right! Dr. Leland has an appointment with you two. Just let me check-up a few things while you wait here… wait, you're that Bradley Owens?!" she asked, both shocked and excited. Bradley forced an even bigger smile.

"The one and only."

While Bradley chatted with the receptionist, Molly looked around to see if Dr. Leland was coming, and as she waited she prepared al her equipment for the possible interview. She had brought only the essential: a tape recorder, a notebook and pens, two, in case she lost one. She had to be prepared if she wanted the job.

A page of the Gotham Gazette caught the eye of Molly, and carefully she took it to see it.

She passed the news about how Superman caught Metallo, and she looked exactly what interested her:

**"****THE JOKER IS STILL ON THE LOOSE."**

She didn't know whether to be afraid of his next attack or relieved that, if Dr. Leland agreed on the interview, she didn't have to be afraid about being in the same room as him. For once, she chose to be relieved.

As she heard footsteps coming in her way, she took her gaze from the newspaper and saw a dark skinned woman with a lab coat coming in her way. She has to be Dr. Leland.

"Ah, doc, I'm glad you could make it" said Bradley, ignoring the receptionist and holding his hands towards Dr. Leland. She took it with a polite smile. "I'm Bradley Owens, pleasure to meet you, doc".

"I'm Dr. Joan Leland, and while I'd rather that you just simple called me dr. Leland, the pleasure is mine mister Owens".

"My name is Molly Stevens, p-pleasure to meet you Dr." she said with her eyes glued to the floor.

"Well, you came here for an interview, would you like to come to my office?" she offered with a calm, polite tone, pointing towards the hallway.

Hallway to hell, she couldn't stop the though.

Bradley nodded with a womanizing smile (a smile that didn't seem to have any effect in Dr. Leland whatsoever), as so did she.

Showing her credential, the guards opened the door to Dr. Leland. At first, they tried to stop Bradley and Molly to come over, but quickly Dr. Leland said they were with her, they let them pass.

If Arkham entrance and reception give Molly goosebumps, being _inside_, with all this insane inmates watching her as a prey… it was downright unsettling. She hoped that Dr. Leland's office were just down the hallway.

"Oh, look that pretty bird."

"Hey, sweetie, come over here, I don't bite… most of the time."

"I wonder what she'll look like without skin…"

Soon, the hallway felt even colder, and Molly had the need to hug herself for warmth… or comfort. She liked compliments, of course, but those weren't compliments. She was 100% sure that all of them were about how pleasant would be to rape her or skin her alive. If those were compliments, she'll make sure to wear a paper bag on her head every day.

"Oh, come on, Molly, they're all locked up. Don't be a chicken" mocked Bradley.

"If you're scared Miss Stevens, I can assure you those inmates will not scape. You have nothing to worry about as long as you stay away from them" said Dr. Leland. She smiled at her thankfully.

"Thank you, Dr." she said, trying to ignore the inmates.

Although Dr. Leland's office wasn't down the hallway, there was an elevator. Molly sighed in relief; at least those inmates would leave her alone for a while.

As they entered the elevator, a pleasant silence filled the room, but it was soon broken by a cliché elevator song. Well, at least weren't Arkham's inmates.

And now that Molly though about it, Arkham was really silent to be an asylum with all kind of insane. Well, not that it bothered her, actually. She appreciated the silence.

Finally, the doors opened and a shiver went down Molly's spine at what she saw.

It was the rogue's floor.

Molly, as every average gothamite, have seen the rogues on TV, newspapers, internet… but now, she was in the same floor as them, breathing the same air (technically, she always does, since oxygen it's always the same). It was like a dream.

A nightmare comes true.

"Follow me" said the Dr. walking outside the elevator.

As a puppy would do, they followed her, and Molly sighed again in relief when she saw the door to Dr. Leland's office.

There was at least two heavy armored guards in the sides of every door, which one of them was heavy blinded as well, with only a really small window to check-up the inmates. Above those windows, there was the inmate name, as well as their nickname.

"I'll appreciate to keep eyes on the way, some inmates react poorly to that kind of attention" Dr. Leland warned, and Molly blushed in shame "You can do it, however, be careful."

With that warning, Molly gave a quick view to a random cell, Two-Face's cell.

"What are you looking at, missy?" asked the deep and creepy voice of the rogue in anger. Quickly, Molly looked away from the door. "Hey, I'm talking with you. Don't run away!"

"Harvey, always a gentleman" said sarcastically a deep, sensual voice of Poison Ivy.

"Oh, we got visits!" screamed in excitement the high-pitched voice of Harley Quinn. "Everyone, say hi! Hiiiii!"

With Harley Quinn's intromission, everyone glued their eyes on them, as so did Molly with the ground. Just her luck.

"I've told you to be careful" reminded the Dr.

Finally, they were in front of Dr. Leland's office. She opened the door with her key and entered, as so did Bradly. But, when Molly was about to enter, Bradley stopped her.

"You" he said, gesturing her "stay here."

_What?_

"But… but I'm your partner" she protested.

"Yes, but since you can't talk without stutter, I'm gonna talk with the Doc." He answered as he was talking about the weather.

"Y-you can't b-be serious! You seriously expect me to wait here with them?!" she murmured, gesturing towards the cells.

"Yes."

"Then what I'm supposed to do?!"

"I don't know! Just, interview the guards or something!" and with that being said, he closed the door, leaving Molly behind.

Alone.

With Gotham's rogues.

Just her friggin' luck.

She looked the hall, insecure of what to do. She wanted to leave, she really did. But she leaved, she'll lose her job. The only way was to stay.

Alone.

With Gotham's rogues.

How much time could he take?

"Hey" called a voice from the cells.

She didn't look, she tried to appear as she didn't hear anything.

"Heyyyy" called the voice again, slightly annoyed, but happy. Again, Molly didn't pay any attention "Yoo-hoo! You, the one in the ugly sweater, don't pretend like you didn't listen to me, sweetie"

Great, she discovered her. Besides, did Harley Quinn just call her _sweetie_?

Gulping, she approached to the cell.

"Hello m-miss Quinn, w-what do you want?" she asked nervously. However, Harley rolled her eyes, annoyed of her stuttering.

"Geez, sweetie, you look like if you just saw a ghost" Molly didn't respond, she knew it was like that. "Well, I wanted to ask since your friend leave: what are you to doing here? Because you don't look too sane to be here" she asked, truly curious, almost child-like.

"My partner and I are looking forward in doing reportage about any of you, miss Quinn" she answered.

Molly took a step away from the door, all because of Harley Quinn's high-pitched glee.

"Oh, I've always wanted to be a super-star! I remember that I've always wanted to write about my life… sure, that was before I met Mr. J, but I can do that now too!" she rambled.

"Excuse me from interrupting, but what makes you think we will let you do that, if I may ask?"

Molly looked where that voice came and she saw the Mad Hatter's cell door.

"Well, I personally think it can be a good chance for the world to know you, to see who you really are and why are you doing what you do… kinda" she answered, relieved that some inmates had manners.

"Yay! Maybe the people finally understand me and my puddin'!" she heard Harley Quinn clap in excitement.

"Excuse me Harley, but what makes you think _you'll _be the one?" asked the voice of the Riddler in his cell. Molly sensed his gaze in her back, and her eyes were again fixed into the ground. "If there's a story that should be published, it's mine. Sorry to disappoint you, but if the reporter here is intelligent enough, she'll know that I'll be me."

"W-well, I'm not entirely sure if Dr. Leland will let it happen…" she said, trying to keep them down. Obviously, it didn't work.

"Nonsense! Now, let me see if you are worth of the honor of interviewing me, the Riddler" and as he was about to test her, another voice came (she wasn't sure to thank heavens for that voice or be nervous about it).

"Excuse me, Nigma, but my story is going to be the one published. Besides, who cares about the story of somebody whose riddles you can easily find on the internet?" spoke Poison Ivy, and Harley snorted loudly. "The world needs more than ever to know the value of environment, as well as a woman's rights."

"Oh, here it comes" growled Two-Face.

"And if anything happens, no man can resist me, or woman for that matter" said the female rogue, and Molly felt like the ground below her feet had disappeared.

Did Poison Ivy (Poison friggin' Ivy!) insinuated on _her_? Well, no wonder why she was there. If her youth taught her anything, is that somebody got to be insane to flirt with someone like her.

And as well, no wonder why she didn't care about the insults of Bradley Owens.

"You" spoke the Riddler.

_'__Not again'_ she tough, just about to cry. '_You can handle this, Molly. They're just like kid, bullies… sick, insane, dangerous bullies… Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!_'

"Hey, you buffoon, I'm talking with you!" he yelled, and Molly left her thoughts and faced the Riddler. She gulped, and he smirked. "I was talking with you before SOMEONE" she was sure he glared at Poison Ivy "interrupted us. Now, riddle me this…"

_'__Oh, dear…'_

"What belongs to you, but others use it more than you?" he ended the sentence with a smirk.

And if just a moments ago Molly felt like there was no ground below her, she felt like she was standing above a lava pit. And she happened to be downright BAD with riddles.

_'__Well, you can do this! It's just a tiny riddle, besides, it's not that hard. Maybe I listened to this one before. Let's see, it's mine but other use it… well, a lot of people use my things, it can be anything! Ugh, my head HURTS!'_

"Tic-toc, lady, your time is running out" the Riddler pointed out.

_'__Ugh, let me think! Think, think, think… wait, why do I even care? He doesn't even know my name and he can't see me!'_

"Uh… my phone?" she answered, and the Riddler laughed mockingly.

"Well, what a shame, you're just another buffoon, like everyone else! Sorry miss, but you're not worth enough of my time. If you liked to know the answer, it was your name".

_'__Damn it!'_

"Good luck next time, miss"

And like hell there was gonna be a next time.

While the other rogues keep fighting about who's story should be published (Mad Hatter and Two-Face didn't cared, apparently), Molly didn't longer see them as some threat, it was more like kid fighting over who plays with a new toy… only that she could be the toy.

Finally, Bradley and Dr. Leland went out of the office, and slowly, everyone stopped. By the look on Bradley's face, he had succeeded.

"Thank you again, Dr. Leland, you won't regret this" said Bradley before leaving.

"I hope so" she simply said "Have a good day, Mister Owens. You too, Miss Stevens"

"Thank you very much, Dr. Have a good day, too" she quickly said, almost running to the elevator and ignoring Harley Quinn's goodbye.

She could only think of the Riddler's last words. Would he really…? No, maybe, for once, she was maybe being too paranoid.

She hoped it was just only her being paranoid.

**A/N: well, that was sure a long chapter from me! Thought I'm usually used to write long chapters, I'm not used to doing that in English. Sorry if there was any mistake in grammar or anything, since I'm not used to write in English (just a few sentence or essays) and it's not my first language. So, I'd really appreciate that, if you saw any mistake, you tell me in the reviews.**

**I'd too appreciate if you reviewed me and tell me if you liked the story. Remember, I eat reviews so… feed me! :)**

**Have a nice day!**


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